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When do I stop paying maintenance??

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SuttonDad

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Hi, my son is currently 18 yrs old and unfortunately has not spoken to me for 12 months, me and his mother have been split up many years. He has just finished his second year at college where he did his exams in June and college closed on July 1st. I’ve been informed he intends to get a job in September but his mother also states he may decide to go back to college for a third year. I pay his mother an agreed amount of money every month on the 26th of each month for the month in advance.
Can anyone tell me when the last payment of money I should be making be please, as she is intimating it should be September but I was under impression I paid until he left in July? If I make a payment on 26th August then that would be for September which cannot be right?!
Would really appreciate some guidance or advice.
Regards.
 
Very sorry to hear your son has not spoken to you for 12 months. Do you know how this came about? Is it just the case your ex is "witholding" him or did you fall out in some way and what over?

Regarding the CMS, I am not 100% clear on this - others may be. My understanding is you only pay until they are 18 or until they have finished full time education. So if he carries on studying next year you may still have to pay. I would keep schtum for now and keep paying it until you find out what he's doing in September. Keep your cards close to your chest. Keep paying it for now until you know for certain, he has left college and got a job. Or she might sign him up at college for another year.

Just be aware that she will no doubt be talking to your son about all this and he will be feeling awkward and possibly unhappy about it - that his future is being dictated by CM payments between you and his Mum. Hopefully when he has a bit more independence you can start up your relationship with him again.
 
SuttonDad said:
Hi, my son is currently 18 yrs old and unfortunately has not spoken to me for 12 months, me and his mother have been split up many years. He has just finished his second year at college where he did his exams in June and college closed on July 1st. I’ve been informed he intends to get a job in September but his mother also states he may decide to go back to college for a third year. I pay his mother an agreed amount of money every month on the 26th of each month for the month in advance.
Can anyone tell me when the last payment of money I should be making be please, as she is intimating it should be September but I was under impression I paid until he left in July? If I make a payment on 26th August then that would be for September which cannot be right?!
Would really appreciate some guidance or advice.
Regards.
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Hi
Just wondering how you got on in the end? I’m in a very similar situation. 18 and half year old daughter who is on job seekers allowance and stopped full time education last March but HMRC are so slow to react I keep on paying the full amount. CMS although nice on the phone have frankly been awful and HMRC won’t do anything because I’m not the residing parent. Any updates on your experience might help. Thanks.
 
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Hi from what I can see online it suggests until 31 August. So if you pay a month in advance your July payment seems like the last one.

Looking at the guidance if the child stays at college it would ultimately cease at 20.
 
From gov website
 

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Child Maintenance that falls within the jurisdiction of the Child Maintenance Service is payable for as long as Child Benefit is payable. That is until either:

a) the 31st August following the child’s 16th birthday if the child is not in full-time non-advanced education (i.e. secondary education) or approved training; or,

b) the last day of the February, May, August or November following the date on which the education or training ceased. However, irrespective of whether the child is still in education or training, Child Maintenance is only payable until the child’s 20th birthday.

In the majority of cases, secondary education ends in July (e.g. after A-levels). Therefore, as the next month listed in (b) is August, in the majority of cases Child Maintenance will be payable until the 31st August following the end of A-levels or their equivalent.
 
familybarrister said:
Child Maintenance that falls within the jurisdiction of the Child Maintenance Service is payable for as long as Child Benefit is payable. That is until either:

a) the 31st August following the child’s 16th birthday if the child is not in full-time non-advanced education (i.e. secondary education) or approved training; or,

b) the last day of the February, May, August or November following the date on which the education or training ceased. However, irrespective of whether the child is still in education or training, Child Maintenance is only payable until the child’s 20th birthday.

In the majority of cases, secondary education ends in July (e.g. after A-levels). Therefore, as the next month listed in (b) is August, in the majority of cases Child Maintenance will be payable until the 31st August following the end of A-levels or their equivalent.
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Thanks for that. I thought it was until 18? (As they are required to stay in education of some form until 18 I believe). So if, after 16, they are only in part time education and a part time training course for example, does that mean CM stops at 16?
 
Ash said:
Thanks for that. I thought it was until 18? (As they are required to stay in education of some form until 18 I believe). So if, after 16, they are only in part time education and a part time training course for example, does that mean CM stops at 16?
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You're correct insofar as it is now compulsory for children, until the age of 18, to either remain in full-time education, do an apprenticeship, or work or volunteer for 20 hours/week whilst in part-time education or training. Therefore, it is unusual for child maintenance to cease on a child's 16th birthday as they are likely to be in full-time education on undertaking approved training beyond that age. It must be remembered that 'full-time' in the context of full-time education is defined as "education undertaken in pursuit of a course, where the average time spent during term time in receiving tuition, engaging in practical work, or supervised study, or taking examinations exceeds 12 hours per week". I would imagine that most courses exceed 12 hours/week. If a child older than 16 is in full-time education or undertaking approved training then, as I said in the earlier post, child maintenance will cease on the last day of the February, May, August, or November following the end of the education or training, whichever month comes first.
 
Hi, I recently had the very same situation. 16yr old daughter has gone to sixth form. I was advised that I pay maintenance until she finishes her A levels which would be June 2025, even through she doesn't get the results until August of that year.
 
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